


Fall Fling

by SHARKMARTINI



Category: Carry On - Rainbow Rowell
Genre: Alternate Universe, First Kiss, Kissing Booth, M/M, One Shot, Sorry Not Sorry, University
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-25
Updated: 2017-02-25
Packaged: 2018-09-26 18:37:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,706
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9915758
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SHARKMARTINI/pseuds/SHARKMARTINI
Summary: Working the Fall Fling kissing booth is no way to spend a Friday evening.





	

**Author's Note:**

> I have no excuses, I'm just obsessed with uni AUs. This one just happens to be separate from the multi-chapter I haven't updated in forever. Enjoy!

Looking back, I probably shouldn't have said yes when Penny asked me to help the student union with their Fall Fling fundraiser. At the very least, I should have thought to ask what she had in mind before I agreed- but planning ahead has never really been something I'm good at. I wish I was though, because now I'm stuck working the kissing booth for another hour and a half. With Agatha. What a waste of a Friday evening.

 

This wouldn't have been so weird if we hadn't just broken up, but even though we're still trying to be friends, it's weird to be sitting next to her, watching as guys (and some girls) line up for a quick kiss. I catch Penny's eye from across the quad and she makes a quick apologetic face before going back to her notes. I know she feels bad, but it totally makes sense to have Agatha working the Friday evening shift with me, she's gorgeous and gets at least twice the amount of traffic I've been pulling. Looking at our little fishbowl of bills, I wouldn't be surprised if three-quarters of it was brought in by her alone.

 

A burst of laughter comes from somewhere close by, and I swing the little bell Penny gave me when I started.

 

"Come and support the Fall Fling you guys!" Rhys and Gareth laugh again, hurrying towards the library.

 

"Couldn't pay me enough mate," Rhys yells over his shoulder, waving as they disappear into the crowd of people hurrying across the quad on their way to enjoy the beginning of the weekend.

 

I try to make small talk with Agatha as the minutes trickle by, but there really isn't much to say, and I can tell I'm kind of boring her, so I go back to fiddling with my phone in between customers.

 

I'm staring off towards the athletic complex, idly trying to guess what the cafeteria is serving for dinner when Agatha all of a sudden sits up straight beside me and starts using her hands to brush at her hair.

 

I'm barely even surprised when I see Baz exiting the commerce building and making his way towards us. He's already been by twice this afternoon, first to try and taunt me for my rubbish luck, and the second to scowl unpleasantly at the small line that had started when afternoon classes began to let out. I should have known he'd come back to poke more fun, or to try and get under my skin by kissing Agatha under the guise of supporting the student union. There's nothing he loves more than working me up to a bluster.

 

I narrow my eyes at him at he continues our way, trying to act casual and not like he's been planning to ruin my life all afternoon.

 

Agatha is practically falling right off her chair as she leans forward on the booth. I feel a little like I might be sick- even during our best times she has never been this eager to see me. It shouldn't be surprising though, no matter what I try I just can't attract people the way Baz seems to do just by existing. If Baz wasn't notorious for being cold I doubt I could have managed to get Agatha to date me in the first place, it's just her bad luck that he only seemed to take an interest once we were together.

 

Anyway, this whole thing is just the norm- my experiences at uni always seem to have Baz lingering at the edges, spoiling what should be the greatest times of my life. Formals, frat parties, urban exploration of the city, date nights, movie nights, and every time Baz cutting in, more handsome than me, more interesting, more- everything really.

 

"Snow." He's not even looking at me, just grimacing at the garish banner above the booth- 'PUCKER UP FOR YOUR FALL FLING- KISSES 5£, FORMAL TICKETS 50£'

 

"Charging for kisses seems rather ambitious, I can't imagine the demand dictates such a price."

 

"Did you just roll out of bed to come here and be a complete dick?"

 

"Simon-!" Agatha tries to shush me as Baz looks down at his outfit and laughs. And now I really am surprised, Baz spends a lot of his time smirking and snickering at other people's misfortunes (mostly mine), but rarely does he outright laugh. It transforms his whole face, and for a second I kind of get the endless appeal that seems to follow him everywhere. In fact, without his usual tie and jacket he's almost unrecognizable in a collared shirt and jeans. I mean, the shirt is very obviously tailored and expensive, as are the jeans, but the whole outfit is far more 'casual Friday' than anything I've ever seen Baz wear in public.

 

"Brave words from a man who wears nothing but the same three pairs of trackie bottoms." And it's so close to something Baz would say to me, but it's somehow completely wrong. Without the usual snark, it sounds less rude and somehow more…flirtatious.

 

"Actually, it's only two," I inform him before he laughs again and I have to physically force myself not to defend my outfit of choice by pointing out that I've seen him wear something almost identical at the gym. The moment stretches on, and it feels surreal- before I remember myself and why he's here.

 

"So,"

 

"Ah yes, to business then." He produces an immaculate billfold from somewhere and tosses a couple of fifties on the table. I have to scramble for them before the wind gets to them. What a douche. Agatha takes her time picking out two tickets from our pile and smoothing them out before handing them to him. Baz barely glances her way, sliding them into the pocket of his shirt.

 

He's still standing there a couple of seconds later, and I look down at the table top to try and find something to do when I see it. There's a folded 10£ note that I'm absolutely sure wasn't there a minute ago sitting in front of me.

 

"Uhm?" The first thing I think is that I'm a moron. The second thing I think is that I'm a complete moron. Of course Baz hadn't come over to be nice to me or to buy Fall Fling tickets- he'd come here to actively ruin my day, and he was going to do it by kissing Agatha and making me watch. Twice, apparently.

 

"Do you want change for this?" I ask automatically, my brain apparently shutting down and desperately trying to keep things normal.

 

"No, I think I'll be fine" Agatha's chair squeaks as she leans forward on her elbows, and I feel like I should avert my eyes or something to keep my cool, but before I can decide I catch the look Baz gives her out of the corner of my eye. And-

 

Oh.

 

I think, right before a cool hand slides under my jaw, tilting my face up.

 

Oh.

 

For a split second, I manage to feel completely exasperated because of course Baz would be a great kisser on top of everything else. Then I feel his thumb drag along the side of my jaw, and my eyes slide shut. Distantly, I hear someone who must be Penny whoop from across the quad, but I can't even bring myself to flip her off- I'm convinced my hands pressed tight to the table surface are the only things keeping me from collapsing in surprise as the rest of my brain rushes to get with the program.

 

Somewhere, part of me notices that this has gone on longer than is probably appropriate for a public place, but the way Baz is kissing me, like I'm something he wants- well, it makes it hard to even think about pulling away. It's not until the smooth slide of tongue against my bottom lip makes me grunt that we break apart, trying to catch our breath.

 

I can feel the flush start crawling up my neck as I desperately try to avoid making eye contact with Agatha, or anyone else in the area. Sneaking a quick peek at Baz has him grinning, looking entirely unselfconscious as he checks his watch.

 

"So how about I collect the balance after dinner?"

 

I'm still rushing to catch up with the past 5 minutes, which is probably why I have no idea what he means.

 

"Dinner?" It comes out of me as a question, but the idea of food somewhere is comforting at least. I may have no idea what's happening right now, but dinner, that's something I can get behind.

 

Baz frowns, and glances his watch for a second time before checking, "doesn't Woodsworth stop serving dinner at 7?"

 

I swear and turn towards Penny, squinting at her across the quad, finally understanding why she seemed so surprised when I agreed to help out. She wasn't worried about me being awkward around Agatha, she knew that putting me on this shift would make me miss dinner.

 

"Calm down Snow, Victoria's caf serves dinner until 9."

 

"Good for you, but that doesn't really help me." All my newly found goodwill towards Baz kind of dries up as the reality of missing dinner sinks in. I could always go and pick up a pizza somewhere, but I am probably the only person on campus who loves the food in our college cafeteria. Which apparently closes at 7, in exactly 5 minutes.

 

"Sure it does, I'll pick you up at 8." Baz turns and starts walking away, not even giving me time to decide if that's something I want (it is, but it would be nice to at least pretend like he didn't already somehow know).

 

"Oh, and Snow?" I barely have time to lift my head before that grin is back, "Friday is roast beef."

 

He arches his brows and then turns around, walking off properly towards Victoria. It's embarrassing to admit, but there's a flutter of anticipation somewhere deep in my gut, and while I know the promise of roast beef has something to do with it, there's also something- deeper, more.

 

Maybe it's not such a waste of a Friday evening after all.


End file.
